George W Lansdale, US Navy

2 views of headstone, Evergreen Cemetery

Kentucky State Journal 10-2-1890 

Mr. George W. Lansdale, one of Newport’s pioneer and most highly esteemed citizens, died this morning at his home, 62 Ann street, from the effects of a wound received during the late war, he being struck on the leg by the burst of a shell while serving in the navy. The deceased leaves two sons and a daughter.

Rest in peace, sailor

Samuel Martin, 181 (or 184) OH Infantry

Headstone at Oakland Cemetery

The headstone shows him in the 184th Ohio, but I cannot find his name listed in that unit. He may have been in the 181st Ohio, though, as a "1" or a "4" at the end of the number may have been hard for the engraver to read

He apparently enlisted in the 181st Ohio in August of 1864 and and discharged in July 1865 with heart disease. He lived in Grant's Lick, the small community where he is now buried.

The 181st Ohio was formed at Camp Dennison, Ohio, near Cincinnati, in October 1864 and served in Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina until July of 1865, It participated in the Siege of Murfreesboro, and was present at the capture of Wilmington, North Carolina, before taking part in the campaign that ended with the surrender of Confederate General Joe Johnston and his army.



The 184th Ohio was organized in early 1865 and spent its service fighting against guerrillas in Alabama and Tennessee before mustering out in September 1865

Rest in peace, soldier.

Herman Theis, 53 PA Infantry

Headstone, section 2, Evergreen Cemetery

Herman Theis was a member of Company D of the 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry regiment. This unit was formed late in 1861. In 1862, it participated in George McClellan's Peninsular Campaign

Herman Theis Kentucky Post 6/25/1906

Herman Theis, by his will probated in the Campbell County Court, leaves his entire estate to his widow, Sophia, as long as she remains single. If she marries again she is only to take the portion allowed by law. At his wife’s death the property is to be divided among his six children. His widow is named as executrix.

Rest in peace, soldier

John Clark, part 4 (final)

 Part 3

 (Thanks to a reader who forwarded me this picture. John Clark is on the left)

John was married to Catherine Cummins, with whom he had eleven children. In the mid 1890s he then married Nettie Sarl (or Sorrell) and had seven more children.  Several of his children died at young ages, and more than one was born a mute.

After the war, he returned to rural Bracken County, in the district of Berlin and resumed life on the farm. In 1867, white burley tobacco was produced for the first time, occurring in this very same Bracken County. John may have harvested that new crop in the following decades.

By 1935, he was living in Campbell County and an article in the Kentucky Times Star of May 15 noted the celebration of his 92^nd birthday, with fifty family members and friends gathering in his house on Licking Pike. It noted “In spite of his advanced age, Clark enjoys excellent health and makes frequent trips to Newport to visit his daughter.” Music was courtesy of the “Red-Headed Music Makers” and “the aged veteran took an active part in the festivities.”

 I have found no record as to if  he was involved in reunions such as the GAR. A September 19, 1913 article in the Kentucky section of the Cincinnati Times Star did report that, sadly, “so rapid has been the onslaught of death on the veterans of the Tenth and Sixteenth Kentucky regiments that it is probable there will be no more reunions of the old soldiers.” It is very possible that he had attended at least some of these reunions in the Maysville area, one of which occurred on November 30, 1892, and for which a local railroad offered discounted fare for veterans attending the reunion.

 This article reported the following statement issued by Mrs. C.C Degman, wife of the late secretary of the association:
           
“The surviving comrades of the Tenth and Sixteenth Kentucky regiments are requested to meet at G.A.R. hall in Maysville on Wednesday, September 24, for a re-organization and considering the rapid depletion of the ranks and a final roll call before ‘crossing the bar.’ During the past year so many members of the association have died that it is impossible to get enough members together to hold a reunion. There were only about thirty members left in both regiments.”

 Time stands still for no-one, not even the brave soldiers of the Civil War, and on April 26, 1940, John Clark passed away, a few days shy of his 97^th birthday.

According to the Kentucky Post of the next day, he was the last surviving Civil War veteran in Campbell County. The article includes a picture of him, with his white mustache and carrying a cane, and says that he had participated in Newport’s 1939 Memorial Day Parade and had planned to do so again in 1940.
           
 At his death, he was survived by his wife Nettie, seven daughters, three sons, thirty-two grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren.

He was buried in Oakland Cemetery in Grants Lick, Kentucky, with a headstone proudly listing his unit information. In 1960, his wife passed away and a newer headstone was placed at the gravesite, but the original headstone also remains.

John Clark lived through a remarkable era in American history. To borrow a description from James Robbins’ book Last in Their Class, they “had lived through an age in which the United States and the world had seen dramatic changes...The era of the musket and the cavalry saber had given way to the machine gun, the tank, the aircraft carrier and the strategic bomber.” Inventions like the automobile, telephone, electric lights, radio and more had transformed the way many Americans lived. World War I had come and gone, and by the time John passed away, this nation that had been “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” was soon to face a conflict that would help make this nation a world superpower. It was an amazing century through which he had lived.

Sources for my original paper, most or all of which should be applicable to this article

   E.E. Barton Papers on microfilm at the LDS Family History Center, Lakeside Park, Ky.

     http://www.mt.net/~mtsysdev/civilwar/history.htm

  http://www.rootsweb.com/~kymercer/CivilWar/Union/16inf/

             http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/index.html  (This link appears to be no longer valid)

             http://www.rootsweb.com/~kybracke/

  http://vitals.rootsweb.com/ky/death/search.cgi

       http://www.mt.net/~mtsysdev/civilwar/16thkyinf.htm

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_General_Hospital

   http://battleoffranklin.wordpress.com/2010/11/24/or_104th/

    Military records from the National Archives

      Last in their Class: Custer, Picket and the Goats of West Point by James S. Robbins, © 2006, Encounter Books, New York

John Clark, part 3

(Link to part 2 , which includes a link to part 1)

In the aftermath of this victorious campaign, Sherman split his troops, keeping some to go on the "March to the Sea" but sending others to chase down John Bell Hood’s Confederates as they marched westward into Tennessee. The 16^th Kentucky, with John Clark, was among the units assigned to head west.

On November 30, Hood ordered his troops to attack the Union Army at Franklin, resulting in defeat for the Rebels, whose losses included several generals. This was a crucial loss for the Southern army, and the 16^th Kentucky played an important part, according to (now) Brigadier-General J.W. Reilly in his report in the Official Records: “The line was rapidly rallied by their officers and with the assistance of the Sixteenth Kentucky, that at this moment led by Lieutenant-Colonel White, who…gallantly ordered and led his regiment forward to the breach before orders to that effect could reach him. That portion of the enemy who had gained inside our works were either killed or taken prisoners. The enemy made various and continued assaults upon the line, but were each time repulsed with fearful slaughter.”

The fascinating and informative Battle of Franklin blog, in its 11/24/2010 entry entitled “Franklin after-battle report, 104^th Ohio Infantry” publishes a report from Colonel Oscar W. Sterl. Among its information is the following linee describing some of the action in which the 16^th Kentucky took part:

Sixteenth and Twelfth Kentucky rushed from the second line simultaneously with them, and joined them and the One hundredth Ohio, on the first line, from which (having overcome all the rebels who had crossed the works) they kept up a constant and destructive stream of fire, cutting down by hundreds the rebels who had accumulated and massed in the ditches and immediately in front.

During this battle, John Clark became a casualty of war, suffering a flesh wound in his left thigh. He was admitted to Jefferson General Hospital in Jefferson, Indiana on December 5. He remained there until discharged on July 29, 1865, when he was ordered to rejoin his company near Louisville. It was in Louisville where he was officially mustered out of service on August 1, 1865.

Jefferson General Hospital, courtesy wikipedia.com

John's military records provide some information about his pay situation. His discharge card noted $26.64 was still owed to him. Earlier hospital records had noted when he received other payments.

On the company muster-out roll, dated July 15, 1865 in North Carolina, remarks indicate John had received $160 in bounty money, with $240 more being due. He had been paid through April 30, 1865 by this point in time, and this form mentioned “no discharge furnished” after noting his injury. At the bottom of the page, however, a note reported: “Mustered out, August 1, 1865” by the “report of Chf. M. and D.” 

During his time in the hospital, John missed out as his comrades took part in more crucial action before the close of the war as the 16^th Kentucky participated in the Union route of the Confederates at Nashville. This regiment then traveled east and some of its members were the first troops to enter Wilmington, North Carolina, the final Atlantic port open to the Confederates, after Fort Fisher had fallen to the Yankees.

This unit remained in North Carolina on garrison duty at Greensburg until July.

John Clark, part 2

See part 1 right here.

After the repulse of the Rebels at Knoxville, the 16^th Kentucky and John Clark remained in eastern Tennessee, fighting in the battle at Mossy Creek. More importantly, though, it was here that members of this unit re-enlisted in the Union Army on December 27, earning the much-desired title of “Veteran Volunteers.” This meant the regiment had met the quote of re-enlisting required to earn that designation, a sign that the men were committed to fighting until the war’s end

According to information in his military papers, John had to officially muster out of the 16^th Kentucky and then re-enlist into the 16^th Kentucky Veteran Volunteers.  At this time, he was owed $8.48 in pay, with another $100 due in bounty money.

On the re-enlistment paper containing his agreement to re-enlist, John simply left an “X” as his mark where his signature was requested.  This form also included a section to be signed by a recruiting officer, with one of the pre-printed lines stating: “he was entirely sober when enlisted.” I guess this was an important point to record when trying to meet the various quotas the regiments and states faced.

Even better than the Veteran Volunteer title, however, was the 30 day furlough which came as a reward for re-enlistment. During early 1864, the soldiers of the 16^th Kentucky took advantage of this precious time off, and John’s return to Bracken County must have been a joyful occasion, though his paperwork does not show exactly when he was back home.

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” however, and no doubt that is how these men felt about their furloughs. By mid-April, they had been ordered to Camp Nelson in Central Kentucky, but soon thereafter headed back through Knoxville, before joining with General William Sherman’s forces in Red Clay, Georgia where they joined what would become Sherman’s Atlanta campaign.

The 16^th Kentucky took part in several of the skirmishes and battles of this campaign over the next few months, including Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca and New Hope Church, among others.

On May 14, Colonel J.W. Reilly noted in his report that during the battle at Reseca: “The Sixteenth Kentucky Veteran Infantry…being in front line of the brigade, passed up the slope over the crest and the rifle pits without a perceivable halt in their lines more than was unavoidable from the character of the ground. The front line of the brigade moved to crest of the ridge immediately in front of the enemy’s batteries, located in their second line of works. The brigade, particularly the first line, was exposed to a very severe fire of musketry and canister after passing first the enemy’s pits, while advancing to second crest and during the greater portion of the time they held the position.”

In another report, he noted that on May 22, several regiments, including the 16^th Kentucky “were ordered to and did proceed to the Etowah Mills, some five miles from camp, and destroyed the mills containing large quantities of corn, flour &c., and other buildings connected therewith, skirmishing slightly with the enemy while in vicinity of river.” Not only was this a fight against the enemy army, but, now also against anything, such as food supplies, that might aid the Confederacy.

On June 2, the brigade moved to Brownlow’s Hill, and the 16^th Kentucky was among three regiments that “charged across the creek and field, and drove the enemy into their works on crest of hill, occupying and holding possession of the position from which enemy were driven, constructing temporary works during the night.”  (Even after winning a fight, they got no rest, as that night was spent building defenses against a possible enemy attack.)

The 16^th remained busy, as on the 19^th of June, they “made a reconnaissance on Marietta road some two and a half miles, driving enemy’s skirmishers rapidly across Noyes’ Creek on that road, capturing some 19 prisoners.”
The report from Major John White of the 16^th Kentucky provided more details, including a July 14^th storm “during which a tree was blown down and Adjutant Dudley was instantly killed,” showing that battle was not the only danger these brave men faced.

As the weeks passed, the campaign continued.

On August 6, the 16^th Kentucky “was placed on the right with orders to drive a body of the enemy” and “this regiment fully obeyed their orders, and rendered a very important service in protecting the main column” from enemy artillery fire which had been annoying the Union forces, according to Colonel Reilly.

On September 1, Major White noted: “our brigade tore up considerable of the railroad” before moving towards Jonesboro.

The Confederates finally abandoned Atlanta on September 1st.

John Clark, 16 Kentucky Veteran Infantry, part 1

Oakland Cemetery, Grant's Lick KY

             

Microfilm records, KY Post, April 27, 1940

This entry is taken from a talk on two local Civil War soldiers I had researched over the last couple of years. This one is likely to be much longer and more thoroughly researched than other entries on this blog (thus I will post it in multiple parts), but this is one of the main reasons I developed such an interest in researching headstones.

John Clark was born in Rock Spring, Bracken County, KY, on May 1, 1843, the son of Englishman William Clark and Kentuckian Elizabeth “Betsie” Frakes. The Clarks were a farming family, though William died while John was very young.

They lived in Bracken County, a rural county in a slave state. Bracken County borders the Ohio River, which was one of the main national dividing lines of slave states from free states. Stops on the Underground Railroad were also scattered throughout the region. The Clarks did not own slaves from what I have found, but in the area in which they lived, their feelings towards that institution are impossible to ascertain.

In October of 1861, John, age 18, enlisted in Company D of the 16^th Kentucky Regiment. At the time, he stood 5 feet 10 inches tall, with dark complexion, black eyes and black hair.

His trip to enlist was the first time he had left Bracken County, according to a 1937 interview. The unit he joined had been formed at Camp Kenton, in Maysville, Kentucky, by Colonel Charles A Marshall, nephew of former Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall.

The 16^th Kentucky fought in its first battle before being officially mustered into service, participating in the fight at Ivy Mountain on November 8, 1861, and then mustering in on January 27, 1862.

At the end of 1861, this unit had 780 volunteers, according to the Official Records and early in 1862 an order from Major-General Don Carlos Buell announced: “The Sixteenth Kentucky Volunteers (Colonel Marshall) is attached to the Eighteenth Brigade, Colonel Garfield…” This “Colonel Garfield” was, of course, the same James A. Garfield who would later become President of the United States.

Throughout the rest of 1862, the 16^th Kentucky remained in its home state, serving in towns and cities like Covington, Louisville, and Bowling Green, among others. From late December to early January 1863 these men campaigned against Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. After this assignment had ended, they remained in the southern and western region of the state, before again campaigning against Morgan, during his famous “Great Raid” in July 1863.

By August, this unit, which now consisted of 870 volunteers, had joined Ambrose Burnside’s campaign to east Tennessee and Knoxville. Late in the year, the Confederates attempted to lay siege to that city, but the Union forces prevailed.

Sergeant Francis Winters, Co. E US Artillery - controversy at funeral

Headstone in Union Plot at Evergreen Cemetery

Francis Winters was in Company E of the 2nd Regiment of Artillery in the U.S. Regular Army. This unit participated in the spring 1862 Peninsula Campaign in Virginia, and battles at Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, as well as many of the battles in the 1864 Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg, as well as the campaign that ended at Appomattox in April 1865. It was present for Lee's Surrender and took part in the Grand Review of Armies in Washington DC in May of that year

KY Post – 8-28-1905 p.5

Fought Indians – Francis Winters, Who Campaigned Against the Seminoles, Is Dead

            Francis Winters, 80, a veteran of Indian Wars, died yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. M. Young, 816 Central-av., Newport. Winters enlisted in 1854 and served throughout the campaign against the Seminole Indians. He then served in the War of the Rebellion and was under fire no less than 42 times. He leaves two children. The funeral will take place tomorrow morning, with services at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. He was a member of the GAR and the old veterans, with a detachment of the regulars will attend the funeral. The members of William Nelson Post, GAR, will meet at their hall at 9 a.m. to attend the services.

This next story strikes me as being very unusual and especially sad. It may even be termed  "disappointing" to let such politics affect the honoring of a former comrade.

KY Post – 8-29-1905, p. 5

Vets Refused to Follow Regulars – Members of the G.A.R. Declined to Attend Funeral of Comrade Because Firing Squad Marched in Front

Members of William Nelson Post, G.A.R., of Newport, KY., angered because they could not march directly in front of the hearse, refused to participate Tuesday in the funeral of Francis Winters, 80, veteran of several wars. A firing squad of 15 soldiers from the Fourth Infantry, of Ft. Thomas, insisted on marching in front of the hearse, and, as Uncle Sam’s warriors were in position first, the G.A.R. men marched back to the hall before the funeral procession started.

Winters enlisted in the Seminole War in Florida in 1854, fought Indians in the West and again enlisted in the Civil War.

He was noted for having been under hot fire 42 different times, and was considered by some as possessed of a charmed life.

The body was taken from the home of Mrs. M. Young, 816 Central-av., Newport, Ky., to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and after the funeral service was buried in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, back of Newport. The squad from Ft. Thomas fired a volley over the grave of the departed veteran.

John J Caldwell, 53 KY Infantry

Headstone, section 28, evergreen Cemetery

John J Caldwell was a member of Company C of the 53rd Kentucky Infantry. This regiment formed in September 1864, served at various places in Kentucky, then participated in the December 1864 raid at Saltville. This unit mustered out in September 1865.

Kentucky Post, January 14, 1905

John J Caldwell, 66, died at his home 225 East Eighth St yesterday. The funeral will take place Sunday afternoon from the residence. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery

         

The 1890 Campbell County Veterans Census shows that he enlisted on September 15 1864 and mustered out exactly one year later. His residence was at 342 Monmouth Street in Newport, Kentucky.

Rest in peace, soldier

Joseph Butler 175 OH Infantry

Headstone, Oakland Cemetery

I had previously posted this a couple of weeks ago,  but deleted it by mistake.


Joseph Butler was a member of the 175th Ohio Infantry unit, which mustered in in October 1864. This unit served in the Nashville campaign late in that year, participating in the battles at Franklin and Nashville. It remained in Tennessee until mustering out in June of 1865.

Buter died on August 27, 1931 in Campbell County, Kentucky, at age 86.

His obituary is below.

Kentucky Post August 29, 1932, p. 1

Final rites for Joseph S. Butler, Civil War veteran, Grants Lick, Ky., who died Thursday at his home will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at Grants Lick Baptist Church. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Grants Lick.

Butler, known as “Uncle Joe,” formerly conducted a grocery in Newport. He removed to Grants Lick about eight years ago.

Besides his widow, Butler leaves two daughters, Mrs. Grace Clos, Grants Lick and Mrs. William Oberly, Long Beach, Cal.

Rest in peace, soldier

Gabriel Price, 53 KY Infanry

Headstone, section 28, Evergreen Cemetery

Gabriel Price was a member of Company D of the 53rd Kentucky Infantry, a regiment formed in late 1864. It served throughout Kentucky, then participated in the raid on Saltville in late 1864. It mustered out of service in September 1865.

Kentucky Post July 13, 1905   

Dayton “Gabriel Price, 71, who died yesterday, will be buried tomorrow at 10 a.m. from the home of his daughter, Mrs. Hutchinson, of 734 Third-av.

Rest in peace, soldier

Samuel Williamson, US Navy

Headstone, section 17 Evergreen Cemetery

Kentucky Post, May 18, 1896
The remains of the late Captain Samuel Williamson, who died Saturday at the home of his sister, corner of Fifth and Roberts Streets, were laid away at Evergreen Cemetery Sunday afternoon. Services were conducted by Rev. W.G. McReaday of St. Pauls P.E. Church. Captain F.A. Austenheimer, Captain W.O.B. Stricker, D.R. Locke, William Purser, Captain Cons Miller and William White were pallbearers

Samuel Sarver, 59 OH Infantry

Headstone, in the ground, Evergreen Cemetery

From the Kentucky Post of March 9, 1905:   “William Nelson Post No. 1, G.A.R.  will meet at Memorial Hall Friday at 1 o’clock p.m. to attend the funeral of Samuel Sarver. A special meeting of Noah’s Dove Lodge No. 20, I.O.O.F. will be held this evening to take action also on the death. All members are requested to attend.”

On March 11, the same newspaper reported: “The remains of Capt. Sam Sarver were buried yesterday afternoon. Rev J.P. Whitehead officiated. The services were held at the chapel in Evergreen Cemetery. The members of Noah’s Dove Lodge No. 20, I.O.O.F. and William Nelson Post G.A.R. attended the obsequies in a body. The pallbearers were W.A. Patterson, Ed Davis, William Brinkman and Jos. Staubach.”

According to the 1890 Veterans Census for Campbell County, Mr. Sarver was a resident of Newport.

He had been a member of the 59th Ohio Infantry, which saw action in many of the more famous battles of the western theater, including Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Stone's River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and the Atlanta campaign. This unit mustered out of service in late October 1864.

Rest in peace, soldier

Lazarus Fagin, Co. A 153 OH Infantry

Headstone in Evergreen Cemetery

The 153rd Ohio Infantry regiment, part of the National Guard, was organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, near Cincinnati, in the spring of 1864. It spent time in West Virginia before going to Camp Chase Ohio and then mustering out in September of the same year.

Kentucky Post, January 25, 1907

Dayton “Lazarus Fagin, 82, 325 Third-av., died yesterday afternoon of a complication of diseases, leaving a daughter Mr. Metzner. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon from the residence, the burial being in Evergreen Cemetery.

Rest in peace, soldier

Alexander Schaefer, part 2: His Widow

Here is the obituary of Katherine Schaefer, widow of Alex Schaefer. It looks like she had a long and productive life herself and her story deserves mention of its own.

I do wish to point out that the article's claim that late husband had fought at Gettysburg and Antietam seems to be a mistake as the 13th Ohio Infantry served in the Western Theater. He may have seen action at such major battles as Shiloh, Perryville, Chickamauga and others, but it seems highly unlikely he was ever back east for the battles mentioned below.

Last Rites are set of Mother of 19 – Civil War Soldier’s Widolw dies at 92

Funeral services for Mrs. Katherine Schaefer, widow of Alexander Schaefer, prominent Civil War soldier, will be held at the John J. Radel Co. funeral home, Newport at 2 p.m, Friday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery. She was 92.

Mrs. Schaefer, who lived most of  her life in Newport, died Wed at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Augusta Lyons, 3417 Woodburn Ave, Cincinnati. She moved from Newport following the 1937 flood.

She was the mother of 19 children, all but five of whom she outlived. Mrs. Schaefer also reared six grandchildren whose mothers died when they were very young.

Her husband was a member of the 13^th Ohio Infantry and fought in the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam. He died in 1925.

Mrs. Schaefer remained in excellent health until a week before her death. She attended the Ohio League of Woman Voters’ meeting in Columbus, last June and was photographed with Gov. Bricker.

She leaves another daughter, Miss Lillian Schaefer, and three sons, Edward, Walter and Frank G. Schaefer, proprietor of the Knight Soda Fountain Co.

Alexander Schaefer, part 1

Headstone in section 28, Evergreen Cemetery

Here is part one about a man who had an interesting Civil War career. Next week's part two will have more information about his widow, but also includes a couple of comments about this man's remarkable experiences in the war.

Alexander (Alex) Schaefer was born in Germany in 1844. After coming to the United States, he joined the Union army, first in  a three-month regiment, the 6th Ohio Infantry, apparently known as the Guthrie Grays, and then re-enlisted in the 13th Ohio Infantry.

Here is some information about the Guthrie Grays  as well as the 13th Ohio Infantry  (scroll down the page - you will see some information on the 6th Ohio (Guthrie Grays) as well.)

The 13th Ohio certainly took part in some major battles and campaigns, so there were plenty of chances for him to be captured by the Confederates, as the below article claims. If he truly survived both Libby Prison and Andersonville,  he was remarkably fortunate.

The National Park Service's Soldiers and Sailors System website does show an Alexander Schafer of the 13th Ohio as a prisoner at Andersonville, listing him as being captured on 5/27/1864 in Dallas, Ga. His "type" is listed as "Held at Andersonville and survived," quite an achievement given that prison's notorious reputation.

From this information, it appears he was captured at the Battle of Pickett's Mill, part of William T. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign.

I have been unable to find any listing of prisoners held at Libby Prison in Richmond




Kentucky Post February 8, 1919

“War Veterans will Attend Golden Wedding”

“Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Schaefer married 50 years”

“Celebration Sunday at the family residence, Fourth Street, Newport”

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Schaefer who were married in Cincinnati Feb 8, 1869, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary Sunday at the family residence 412 West Fourth Street, Newport. Their children, grand-children, relatives and friends, including members of the Guthrie Grays, veterans of the Civil War, will attend the celebration. Mr. Schaefer was a member of the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War and was twice wounded. He was captured and held for 31 days in Libby Prison and later recaptured spending nine months in Andersonville prison. He is now 74 years of age and his wife 70 years. 

Another trip to the cemetery

As the weather is finally turning better, I look forward to getting back in the "field" to find more headstones and names.

I did visit Evergreen Cemetery again this morning and found about a dozen more headstones. One was not the traditional Union military stone, but a more "normal" headstone that I just happened to glimpse the "GAR" on it as I passed it.

Of the ones I found, only one is giving me problems trying to figure out the name. It may be Webber Nebber, Nebres or something like that. I'll continue to look over my photo as well as an Ohio soldier's database to try to figure out this Corporal's name.

The next step, of course, will be trying to find obituaries or other stories on these men, but I may try to make another cemetery trip tomorrow if the rain stays away.

It's good to get back out and do some research again. Evergreen is quite hilly, but a little exercise does not hurt.

Hopefully I will be able to find some interesting stories for future entries.

Alpheus Line, 18 OH Infantry

Headstone at Old Licking Baptist Church Cemetery

I have not yet found any details on this soldier's life, but he was a member of Company K of the 18th Ohio Infantry. This unit was formed in Chattanooga TN in late October 1864, by the consolidation of several other Ohio regiments. It remained in Tennessee and fought in the battle of Nashville. It eventually arrived at Augusta, Georgia, where it remained until mustered out and discharged in October 1865.

Rest in peace, soldier.

John Cracklin, 5 MA Infantry (100 days)

John Cracklin joined Company A of the 5th Massachusetts Infantry for a period of 100 days starting in July 1864. This unit served in the defenses in the region around Baltimore before heading back to Massachusetts and being mustered out in November of that same year.

According to his obituary, he was 76 years old when he passed away in March of 1908, and was living in the Soldier's Home in Dayton Ohio at the time of his death. (Please check out that link - there is a lot of good information in it.)

His body was brought back to Newport, where he had formerly lived and he was buried in Evergreen Cemetery

In his will, he asked that his estate be left to his sisters Mary Jane Dearborn of Cleveland, Ohio and Susan E Pearce of Boston, Massachusetts, if they could be found; if not he wanted his money divided equally between the Protestant and Catholic Orphan Asylums of Campbell County. He also added that if the government did not provide him with a headstone, $25 be taken from his estate to give him one.

He did get that headstone he earned.


Rest in peace, soldier.

Joseph Redman, 188 OH Infantry

Difficult to read headstone, Asbury Methodist Church cemetery

Joseph Redman lived from February 5, 1827 until October 15, 1880. He was a member of Company C of the 188th Ohio Infantry regiment. This unit was organized at Camp Chase in Ohio in early 1865 and spent time on duty in Tennessee, until being mustered out in September 1865.

Rest in peace, soldier